(Sacramento) -- A large crowd of state employees joined Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) at the State Capitol recently to show their support for legislation that would provide oversight whenever a state agency hires private contractors. Shortly before the rally on the steps of the Capitol the Assembly Committee on Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security passed the bill, AB 906. "The state spends billions on private contracts but it has no mechanism to determine the effectiveness of spending all of this money on outside vendors," Dr. Pan said. "This bill is designed to prod the state to operate more efficiently and ensure that taxpayer money is well spent." Here's more from this Assembly Access video.

(Sacramento) - California families with English-learning loved-ones are supporting AB 1263, legislation authored by Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) that would increase trained Medical Interpreters needed to prevent grief and confusion caused when health, cultural and other information is not interpreted properly in medical situations.  After hearing testimony from families describing confusion surrounding death and life-threatening surgeries, AB 1263 was passed by the Assembly Health Committee chaired by Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). “As a physician who cares for children and their families from a diversity of cultural and language backgrounds, I know how important having qualified medical interpreters is to the quality of care I am able to provide my patients,” Dr. Pan said.  Here’s more from Dr. Pan in this Assembly Access video.

Sacramento - The California State Assembly has passed legislation authored by Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) to ensure Californians who are struggling with an illness, sometimes called a pre-existing condition, will be able to purchase insurance coverage at reasonable rates, beginning January 1, 2014. “Today the Assembly has moved our state one step closer to making sure that people who become sick or injured are not denied health insurance,” said Dr. Pan, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Health. Assembly Bill 1x2 implements the federal Affordable Care Act goal of providing every American with quality, affordable health care by ending the denial of coverage for any reason, including any pre-existing conditions. Here’s more from Dr. Pan in this Assembly Access video.

(Sacramento) -- The Affordable Care Act ensures that patients will no longer face annual or lifetime coverage caps on medical care and prescription drugs. However, a loophole in the ACA allows self-funded medical plans, like the University of California Student Health Plan, to still permit coverage caps. California State Assemblymember, Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) objects to those loophole caps. That's why Assemblymember Pan, who is also a pediatrician, authored Assembly Bill 314. AB 314 would amend existing law and require health policies operated by institutions of higher learning to comply with the abolition of annual or lifetime caps on prescription and medical coverage.

"I fought hard for the Affordable Care Act," said Pan, "so families can afford care for a sick or injured child, parent or sibling without facing financial ruin."
That's why Pan is working hand-in-hand with the UC Student Association to pass this extremely important bill. Learn more about AB 314 and a brave UC student stricken with brain cancer, in this Assembly Access Video.

(Sacramento) -- Current law allows companies to pay people a set amount for each new voter registration card they turn in. That practice is under scrutiny because it creates an incentive to turn in fraudulent voter registration cards. Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) has authored legislation to prohibit companies from paying those kinds of cash bounties. The issue was put in focus when it was learned Momentum Political Services paid to its staff on a per card basis and that resulted in Sacramento County residents being registered as Republicans without their consent. "It is outrageous that the California Republican Party may be knowingly submitting fraudulent voter registration cards to inflate its sagging registration numbers," Dr. Pan said. Here's more in this Assembly Web Report.

Calls Republican Majority on Empty Rhetoric and Urges Focus on Job Creation

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to Republican efforts to repeal the health care law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States. This vote marks the 31st time the Republican Majority has undertaken a vote to repeal, defund or dismantle the ACA. In her remarks, Rep. Matsui highlighted how the ACA helped Dr. Pan legislative staffer Paula Villescaz receive and afford the care she needed to overcome a rare, life-threatening cancer. Click here for her remarks or watch the above video.

California State Assemblymember and university professor, Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) is committed to student engagement. That's why his district office is on the campus of Sacramento State University, and why he's the co-author of the Middle Class Scholarship Act. Dr. Pan's ongoing commitment to students has prompted him to author Assembly Bill 1965. AB 1965 would give more voting privileges to California State University Student Trustees.

(Sacramento) - The California Assembly has approved Assembly Bill 2109, legislation authored by Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) to provide parents with health information that they can use to help protect their families and communities from communicable diseases like whooping cough. "As a pediatrician, I understand the importance of strong relationships between parents and their physicians," Dr. Pan said. "AB 2109 ensures that parents are able to make an informed decision about getting their children immunized before they enter school with the counsel of California's 150,000 licensed health care professionals, helping protect their families and communities from deadly communicable diseases." Here's more from Dr. Pan in this Assembly Web Report.

Sacramento - Doctor Richard Pan, who represents the Sacramento area in the State Assembly, says he and other local leaders have declared a pediatric dental emergency because Sacramento’s Geographic Managed Care (GMC) program has failed to deliver dental care to children. “Our children must have direct access to dental professionals until proper reforms and oversight can be implemented,” Dr. Pan said. “This model has been effective in some cities and states, but without proper oversight, it has been a disaster in Sacramento.” During a recent hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on Health Care Workforce and Access to Care, chaired by Dr. Pan, some of those most affected by the troubled GMC program testified. Here’s more in this Assembly Web report.

Sacramento - Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), a UC Davis professor and pediatrician, today unveiled new legislation to create the Middle Class Scholarship program. Introduced by Speaker John A. Pérez, (D-Los Angeles), the proposal is designed to keep more money in the pockets of middle-income families with students attending the state's public colleges and universities. In this video message, Dr. Pan discusses the plan from his perspective as an educator and legislator: